The Best Cleaning Hacks For A Tidy House
During the course of my 12 or so years of blogging, I’ve collected dozens (if not hundreds) of great home cleaning hacks. As I’ve reflected on some of the cleaning hacks, tips, and tricks I’ve shared over the years, I thought it might be useful to compile my very best cleaning hacks in one place!
This has since become one of my most popular blog posts, and every tip in this list can save you time and effort, regardless of where or what you’re cleaning. (And if you’ve ever wondered how to clean faster, be sure to check out my Golden Rules Of Cleaning, too!)
45 Easy Cleaning Hacks For Every Space In Your Home
1. Use Lemons To Sanitize Your Garbage Disposal
When your garbage disposal starts to smell, the odor can overpower your whole kitchen. Banish funky disposal odors and replace them with the fresh, clean scent of lemons? With the help of vinegar and a lemon, your garbage disposal won’t just smell better — it will work better, too!
Read More: How To Clean And Freshen Your Garbage Disposal The Easy Way
2. Use Baking Soda And Vinegar To Unclog Your Sink
Think back to elementary school, middle school, or high school science, and you might recall a classic science fair standby: the baking soda and vinegar volcano. But instead of using them to cause a small-scale eruption, you can put this powerful one-two punch to work to solve a common household problem: a clogged or sluggish sink.
Read More: How To Unclog A Sink Using Just 2 Natural Ingredients
3. Clean The Inside Of Your Dishwasher
Your dishwasher works hard to keep your dishes clean, but it needs to be cleaned from time to time too! I’ve got 3 cleaning hacks that will help eliminate any grimy buildup lurking in your dishwasher, which will not only ensure it leaves your dishes sparkling clean, but will also sort out any drainage problems you may be experiencing.
Read More: How To Clean Your Dishwasher In 3 Easy Steps (And Fix Most Dishwasher Problems)
4. Use Borax To Clean (Almost) Anything
If you’re not already a fan, you’ve been missing out! Simply put: borax is one of the most useful home cleaning products, period! Check out the link below to learn more about this wonder mineral and the many ways you can use it around the house. From cleaning carpets to dissolving sticky messes, the possibilities are nearly endless.
Read More: Is Borax Actually Useful? These 27 Tips Say Yes
5. Deodorize Your Garbage Can
Why settle for a smelly garbage can when you can eliminate odors with homemade deodorizing disks? Not only are they easy to make, but they’re great for stinky trash cans, diaper pails, litter boxes, and even small spaces. And did I mention they’ll leave your home smelling fresh and clean for an entire month?
Read More: This 10-Minute DIY Will Solve Your Odor Problems
6. Clean And Sanitize Your Cutting Board
Regardless of the material your cutting board is made of, it’s important to keep it clean and sanitary. This easy cleaning hack uses soapy water and a whole lemon to sanitize plastic surfaces while removing lingering odors.
Read More: Here’s How To Get Rid Of All The Worst Household Odors
More Ideas You'll Love
7. Remove Gunk From Oven Racks
Oven racks accumulate all kinds of crusted-on messes and greasy food residues. While cleaning your oven racks can seem like an overwhelming task, there’s actually a secret that makes it unbelievably easy, and it involves dryer sheets. (Don’t mock it ’til you try it — it really works!)
Read More: How To Clean Oven Racks With Ease: A Surprising Way To Clean Your Dirty Oven Racks
8. Clean Your Oven The Easy Way
Of course, it’s not just oven racks that need cleaning; the space inside of your oven needs cleaning too. If you’ve ever spent hours scrubbing your oven’s interior, you might assume that the process always requires hours of back-breaking labor, but not with this method! Here, most of the magic happens overnight while you’re slumbering peacefully.
Read More: How To Clean Your Oven While You Sleep (Seriously!)
9. Clean Your Stove Burners Without Scrubbing
Cleaning stove burners and burner pans used to be another frustrating cleaning tasks, but not anymore! This is another “let it sit” cleaning hack that requires a lot less elbow grease.
Read More: How To Clean Stove Burners With Ammonia And Zero Elbow Grease
10. Steam Clean Your Glass Stovetop
Glass cooktops look stunning when they’re clean, but over time they can be dulled by grease and grime from everyday use. This hack uses an unlikely (but highly effective) cleaning agent to restore glass cooktops to a sparkling clean state: steam!
Read More: A Simple And Effective Way To Clean Your Glass Stovetop
11. Clean Grimy Kitchen Cabinets With Two Ingredients
If your house is anything like mine, your kitchen cabinets seem to get coated in greasy gunk shockingly quickly. But you can make short work of all that gunk using one of my all-time favorite cleaning hacks, and you only need 2 common cleaning ingredients to do it.
Read More: How To Clean Grimy Kitchen Cabinets With 2 Ingredients
More Ideas You'll Love
12. Steam Clean Your Microwave
Sure, you could spend a lot of time and effort scrubbing your microwave clean, but why not let the microwave do the hard work instead? This brilliant hack creates a steamy environment that helps break down splatters and residue so they’re much easier to wipe away.
Read More: How To Clean A Microwave: With AND Without Vinegar
13. Clean Your Range Hood Filter In A Stockpot
Your range hood helps keep your kitchen and the air inside it clean, but it can’t do either of those things if the filter is clogged up with grease. This hack is the easiest way I’ve found to clean said filter, and it involves boiling it in a stockpot. (Yes, you read that right!)
Read More: This Is The Easiest Way To Clean Your Range Hood Filter
14. Remove Scorched Food From Pots And Pans
Some burnt food residues can be especially tough to scrub out of your cookware, but it’s a lot easier if you know which cleaners work best! Check out 3 tried-and-true methods for cleaning scorched messes out of pots and pans.
Read More: 3 Easy And Effective Ways To Remove Burnt Messes From Cookware
15. Erase Scratches On Your Dishes
White dishes have a crisp, clean aesthetic, but they can end up looking scuffed, scraped, and scratched from everyday utensil use. A good scrub with Bar Keeper’s Friend scouring powder (one of my favorite easy cleaning hacks in its own right!) returns them to like-new status.
Read More: How To Make Your Scratched Dishes Look Brand New
16. Make Cookie Sheets Look Like New
It may seem like that brown residue on your cookie sheets is here to stay, but this 2 ingredient method will have them gleaming as beautifully as they did on the day you brought them home.
Read More: These Are The Most Effective Ways To Clean Baking Sheets
17. Use Your Microwave To Sanitize Sponges
Sponges can be prime breeding grounds for bacteria, especially if they’re left damp in the sink. Luckily, there’s an easy way to zap away this problem! Microwave your wet sponge for one minute to kill bacteria.
18. Use Bread To Pick Up Broken Glass
Rather than trying to use your fingers for picking up tiny glass shards (ouch!), just grab a piece of bread. The spongy texture of the bread will grab onto any hard-to-see shards so you don’t discover them later with your feet.
19. Tackle Tough Jobs With Magic Erasers
Magic erasers are great for cleaning everything from phone cases to baseboards. These foam blocks make short work of tasks that can be difficult to complete otherwise, like erasing stubborn scuff marks and tackling dried spills and splatters.
Read More: 7 Incredible Things You Can Clean With A Magic Eraser
20. Deodorize Your Coffee Grinder With White Rice
Even if you love the aroma of coffee, that doesn’t mean you want everything you grind you smell like coffee. Before grinding something else in it, use a handful of uncooked rice to clean and deodorize it.
Related: Used Coffee Grounds? Here Are 20 Surprising Ways To Use Them
21. Scrub Cast Iron Pans With A Potato
It may sound like a prank, but it works! Clean cast iron pans without worrying about damaging them with the help of coarse salt and half a potato. You won’t believe how easily they break down messes!
22. Make DIY Carpet Cleaner Solution
Even if the carpet cleaner itself is a good deal, the recommended cleaning solution can cost an arm and a leg. This DIY carpet cleaning solution just might change your life! Dirt, stains, and germs don’t stand a chance.
Read More: Make This Carpet Machine Solution To Save A Fortune
23. Use A Sock As A Swiffer Pad
If you don’t want to pay a premium for pricey refills for your Swiffer Sweeper or WetJet, you can use a fuzzy sock instead. Just slip the sock onto the base and all the floors in your home will be sparkling in no time!
Related: 3 Money-Saving Hacks You Need To Know If You Use A Swiffer
24. Steam Away Tough Carpet Stains
Even the most stubborn carpet stains are no match for this tip, which I consider one of the best cleaning hacks I’ve ever come across! All you need is household ammonia, a spray bottle, and your clothes iron to remove tough carpet stains — even ones that have been there for months! (Tougher stains may take some extra elbow grease, but the impressive end result makes it well worth the effort.)
Read More: How To Clean Carpet: Treating Stains, The Best DIYs, & More
25. Make Your Microfiber Couch Look Brand New
Upholstered furniture is a significant investment. Unfortunately, regular wear and tear can leave your microfiber chairs, couches and sofas with a dirty and dingy appearance. My favorite fix for this problem? A little rubbing alcohol and a scrub brush has them looking as nice as the day you bought them.
Read More: Here’s How To Clean A Microfiber Couch So It Looks Brand New
26. Use This Simple Trick To Clean Your Ceiling Fans
Tired of dust flying around your home whenever you switch on your ceiling fan? Many people put off this chore because conventional cleaning methods can be arduous. Not only does this hack take mere seconds to clean each blade, but all you need is an old pillowcase to get the job done.
Read More: The 2 Things You Need To Do To Your Ceiling Fans ASAP
27. Find The Smartest Way To Clean Your Blinds
The best methods for cleaning blinds largely depends on what kind of blinds you have. From faux-wood to vinyl to vertical, I’ve rounded up the best cleaning tips for several common types of window blinds.
Read More: The Best Way To Clean All The Blinds In Your House
28. Remove Candle Wax From Your Carpet
Candle wax and carpeting is not a good combination. But accidents happen, and when they do, it IS possible to remove candle wax from your carpets. You’ll need an iron, lots of newspapers to blot with, and even more patience, but the end result will be well worth the effort. Learn how at the link below.
Read More: How To Clean Carpet: Treating Stains, The Best DIYs, & More
29. Use Drano To Scrub Away Concrete Stains
Leaky exhausts and transmissions in older cars can create unsightly stains on the floor of your driveway and garage. But I’ve got a secret weapon in my arsenal that can help you scrub those stains away in a jiffy: household drain cleaner. So grab that Drano and get cleaning.
Read More: This Strange Product Is The Best For Cleaning Stains From Concrete
30. Clean Your Vents With Turtle Wax
As it turns out, Turtle Wax isn’t only useful for cleaning your car. It’s also very effective at removing debris and dirt from your vents. Just apply a small amount, and the dust wipes right off.
31. Deep Clean Combs And Hair Brushes
Cleaning my combs and brushes isn’t the first task that comes to mind when I think of keeping house. However, the truth is that brushes and combs are full of all kinds of nasty stuff, including old hair, dust, dead skin, and product buildup. Luckily, a simple soak in warm soapy water removes bacteria and other residue for good-as-new hair brushes and combs.
Read More: 9 Things In Your Bathroom You Probably Aren’t Cleaning Enough
32. Use A Trivet To Wash Your Makeup Brushes
Dirty makeup brushes are incredibly unhygienic, and they don’t work as well as clean brushes, either! They’re also expensive, meaning you want to get the most life out of them as possible. Instead of replacing dirty makeup brushes, use this hack to get them fresh, clean, and ready to work their magic.
Read More: How To Clean Makeup Brushes And Why It’s So Important
33. Clean The Plates On Your Flat Iron
Your flat iron helps you leave the house looking your best every day, and for that, you owe it a debt of gratitude. If you use hairspray or other hair products when using your flat iron and other styling tools, grimy residue can build up quickly. Instead of letting it get increasingly gross, give my “miracle cleaner” a try instead!
Read More: How To Clean Your Flat Iron So It Looks Like New
34. Make Glass And Mirrors Shine
Is there any greater eyesore in a home than smudged, streaked windows and mirrors? Just a few household ingredients will have your glass crystal clear in no time.
Read More: Make Your Glass Surfaces Sparkle With These Reliable Cleaners
36. Clean Your Computer With Vinegar
Step away from the acetone, ethyl alcohol, and ethyl chloride. The safest (and easiest) way to tidy up your computer is with a microfiber cloth and a bit of white vinegar. (A cotton swab moistened with vinegar is the perfect tool for nooks, crannies, corners, and other tight spaces.)
Read More: Grimy Screen? This Is The Super Simple Cleaner You Need
36. Clean Sneakers With Toothpaste
Working hard and playing hard can add up to some pretty grimy looking tennis shoes. Just grab an old toothbrush and a small amount of toothpaste to clean up your kicks in no time.
Read More: Here’s How To Clean Canvas Shoes (Yes, Even White Ones!)
37. Pick Up Glitter With Play-Doh Or Tape
Any parent whose kids have ever gone through a crafting phase is no fan of glitter. You don’t have to spend the rest of your life discovering it everywhere. Instead, use a ball of Play-Doh (or a circle of tape) to lift it right up. (Or even better, turn it into a game and enlist your kids’ help!)
Related: This Is The Single Best Way To Clean Your Area Rugs
38. Make Your Rings Shine
Household cleansers contain harsh chemicals that can damage precious metals. The safest way to clean your rings is to soak them in a solution of hot water and dish soap before using a soft toothbrush to brush away any lingering residue. Works for earrings too!
Related: Easy Ways To Keep All Of Your Jewelry Sparkling Clean
39. Banish Funky Smells From Bath Towels
I hope you haven’t put away your vinegar and baking soda just yet! If your bath towels have been smelling less-than-fresh lately — even after you’ve washed them — this cleaning combo will come in handy yet again. Mildew and detergent residues can lead to odor and absorbency issues, but this most brilliant of cleaning hacks will restore them to a cleaner, fresher state.
Read More: Smelly Towels? This Is The One Easy Fix You Need To Try
40. Remove Mineral Buildup From Your Shower Head
Hard water and limescale cause unsightly white streaks and a slower flow of water. They can even damage skin and hair. If you’re dealing with these issues, buildup on your showerhead may be the culprit. A quick soak in vinegar makes short work of the problem.
Read More: 8 Of The Best Ways To Use White Vinegar To Clean Your Bathroom
41. Use This Secret Plumbers’ Trick To Unclog A Toilet
Have a clog but no plunger? We’ve all faced an unexpected toilet crisis at one point or another. There’s no need to wallow in despair when it happens. Instead, use this three-step process to deal with the situation. One word of advice? Learn it now so you’ll be ready in a pinch.
Read More: These Are The Best Ways To Unclog A Toilet In An Emergency
42. Keep Your Shower Clean
You shower often, so why not take advantage of that time to keep your shower clean? Just keep a scrub brush full of your favorite homemade cleaning solution within reach. Then you can easily give your shower door and walls a quick scrub to remove soap scum, water spots and other grime as needed!
Related: 11 Clever Cleaning Shortcuts That Will Save You So Much Time
43. Eliminate Water Spots With Shaving Cream
Water stains are unsightly on shower glass, but it couldn’t be easier to eliminate them. Just apply shaving cream to water stains for 15 minutes before wiping off then prepare to see some serious sparkle.
Related: 11 Unusual (But Useful) Things You Can Do With Shaving Cream
44. Pick Up Pet Hair With A Rubber Glove
Pets bring a lot of joy into our lives, but they also bring something much less desirable: hair. Keeping your pillows and upholstery free of dog and cat hair can feel like a lost cause, but there’s a simple way to deal with the problem. Just don a rubber glove and drag it across your upholstery to easily remove pet hair. No lint roller or roller sheets required!
Related: 11 Clever Cleaning Shortcuts That Will Save You So Much Time
45. Clean And Freshen Your Mattress
It may not be visible to the naked eye, but all of the dead skin and sweat we leave behind on our mattresses adds up over time, potentially shortening the lifespan of your mattress. Luckily, a simple combination of baking soda and essential oils can freshen up your mattress just like that.
Read More: How To Clean Your Mattress (And Why You Should Do It Regularly)
What are your favorite easy cleaning hacks?
I love all of the detail that you have put into this! So many great tips Jillee! You’re as passionate of a cleaner as the crew we have (http://www.slchousecleaners.com). I’m definitely going to pass these tips on to my clients, and share your page to help them keep their homes clean and tidy!!! Great content, and thank you so much!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Im dying to try out the Dryer sheets on the my oven rack, those are a nightmare. i have a hard time believing this works but well see! using lemons in ice cubes to sanitize the garbage disposal was so creative. definitely my favorite. thanks a to! love your articles.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks for your wonderful article.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I will translate your article into Persian soon and publish it on my blog. ( https://pinwork.ir/blog/ )
For the range hood filter I spray it with some good de-greeser, let sit for a bit and then run it through the dishwasher. Squeaky clean. I do it as part of the monthly maintenance. A good few things can be put through the dishwasher. I do my glass shades on my ceiling lights as well as stove grates to name a few…
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you for all the great posts! I save them all so I can easily refer to them when I need help!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Jillee, you have surely posted some of the best cleaning tips and tricks. I loved to get them in one place. Thanks for this post. :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Going to babysit at my daughter’s house while I’m off work for the holiday. I will surprise her with some of these on her house!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I just put the cooking filter in the dishwasher to clean it!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This is a great collection of cleaning tips :) I will try to clean my filter by using a stock pot!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks Jillee for putting these cleaning hacks in one place! Great ideas here! Now I can refer to the answer to most every cleaning problem quickly and easily!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You have some great ideas. I’ve tried some and they really do work. I’m anxious to try some of these cleaning hacks. Thanks again and keep the great ideas coming.
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